Jesus said He is the way, so I'm following Him. He said He is the truth, and that's what I want my life to be about, too. Jesus said He is the life. I want to live that rich, full, vibrant, powerful life that Jesus offers. He is the Lover of my soul, and I the lover of Him.
This is what I'm thinking about right now, and I'd love to read what you're thinking about, too.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Put Your Faith In God's "Own Dear Son"

When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, in fulfillment of all that God wanted them to do, the heavens opened up and God the Holy Spirit descended to rest upon God the Son. At that moment God the Father spoke,

"This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him."

In His baptism the Lord Jesus prefigured His death and resurrection, getting to the very heart of what Christianity is all about.

As God teaches in His word,

Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.

If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people.

As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die. When Christ died, he died for sin once and for all. But now he is alive, and he lives only for God. In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God.

[Romans 6:3-11, Contemporary English Version]

The Lord Jesus identified with you as a sinner, now you identify with Him.When you come to Jesus in faith and receive Him as your Savior and Lord into your life, then you also take on a new identity, as a saved person, a saved sinner, someone who has been made new. You die to your old life, your spiritually dead existence. And you are raised up to a new life filled with God’s Holy Spirit. you are born again.

If this post got you to thinking, please leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below, and join the conversation